Student survey of tech use

[Pharmakon]

Hello, all!

I am putting together a survey for our online masters degree students on their tech use. I'd like to be able to track the students' tech proficiency over the years to notice trends. Here are the categories I've though of so far:

what social network(s) do you use? ie. facebook, twitter, etc
how often do you use them

how would you rate your competency in using them

rate competency in using the following programs:
iTunes
Windows Media
Internet Explore/Firefox/Other
Instant Messaging programs

how often do you send online in a week?
how much time have you been able to dedicate to the online program a week?

and then maybe a general feedback on the course..what would make it easier, what they like about it, etc.


Any thoughts on adding info?

[Patrick_J]

Pharmakon,

I would maybe add a question set that distinguishes their "work" use of social media and technology from their personal use. I wonder if we trend towards certain tools for professional work and other for personal communication.

[Pharmakon]

So maybe a question that lets them check their reasons for using social networks? ie. stay connected with friends, with colleagues and coworkers, play stupid addictive farm games, etc

[Patrick_J]

Exactly...nothing like a virtual farm.

[Pharmakon]

The key would be to be able to use that farm in a learning situation!

When I taught middle school technology, I had the students use SimCity. It was my first year teaching, and I thought that my principal would look down upon this. He came to the lab one day and was talking to the student about what she was doing. She told him that they had to balance their budget so that they wouldn't get in the 'red', allocate funds to different services, and negotiate deals with neighboring towns. He looked at me with a big smile. They weren't just playing a game, they were learning something!

Serendipitous, for sure, but since then, I have always looked at ways of using games to teach!


PS. I don't play those farm or mafia games. My addiction is bejewelled.. at least for this month!

[Patrick_J]

Very true! I've been out of the classroom for about 3 years, but if I was still teaching I'm sure I'd have a farm in some class, even if just for the interaction.

But the last 5000 emails I've gotten about Farms and Mafia Wars are from the "grown" folks I graduated college with. What kind of jobs do they have where they can grow crops and gang-bang all in the same day?

Who am I to complain, I love me some Poker.net.

[Pharmakon]

You can block those notifications, you know!

Maybe they, too, have jobs in e-learning where they can post on forums, etc!

I'm trying to get our program onto facebook to give me an excuse for being on there

[Jeanette]

Pharmakon, what about incorporating something into your survey about blogging? i.e., whether the students have a blog, and what kind of content they use it for (personal, professional, or a blend). Could also ask about the number of blogs they follow, and whether they do so out of personal or professional interests. Also could ask what method they use to follow the blogs - i.e., just visiting them periodically, or rss, or email notifications. Might be interesting to find out how many people use a feed reader, and which one(s) they're using.

[Pharmakon]

Ooh, yeah, that sounds good, J! Maybe even ask about podcasting! We're thinking about putting seminars online though podcasting, so that would be helpful!